Electric-circuit interrupter.



R. P. JACKSON. BLEGTRIG CIRCUIT INTERRUPTBR.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 2, 1907.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

AT'TOHNEY Eig. i.

WITNESSES: 7

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

l1. JACKSON, or WI'L-iiIN'snUne., PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoR To wnsTINGIIoUsE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CoRPoEATIoN or PENNSYLVANIA.

i ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. i5, 1910;

Application led February 2, 1907. Serial No. 355,498.

To all whom it may concern.

Be 1t known that I, RAY lP. JACKSON, a c tizen of the United States, and a resident i of VVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny rvoltage. electric circuits which transmit relatively small amounts of power.

Devices, as heretofore constructed for the protection of very high-voltage electric circuits, may be divided into two general classes,a well known form of stick type circuit-breaker being indicative ofone class and oilimmersed circuit interrupters ofthe other class. Stick type circuit-breakers which are adapted for use with high-voltage circuits necessarily occupy a very large spacein order to ypermit the required movementv of the contact arm. On the other hand, the cost of oil-immersed circuit interrupters suitable for high-voltage circuits is out of all proportion to the cost of the other apparatus required in small power stations. v

vAccording to my present invention, I provide a colnbined switch and fuse device which is so arranged as to interrupta highvol'tage circuit without injury to the device itself or to adjacent apparat-us, and one of the principal advantages of my improved interrupter lies in the fact that, although the fuse is inclosed in a well. known manner, all possibility of electrical leakage through the protecting tube is avoided by automatically separating one of its extremities from the electrically live parts when the fuse is ruptured.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a view, partially in section but mainly in elevation, of a circuit interrupting,device constructed in accordance with my invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of the contact members shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, petticoat i11- sulators 1 and 2 of a well known type are mounted on brackets 3 and 4 which may preferably be fixed to an insulating plate or slab he insulator 1 is provided with a cap 6 of conducting material having a forked projection 7 and the insulator 2 is similarly equipped with a cap 8 having a contact projection 9. Contact terminal pieces 10 and 11 are attached to the caps 6 and 8.

An insulating tube 11a is provided with a clamp 12 of conducting material having a forked' projection 13 which is adapted to engage the projection 9.

j A conta-ct member 14 having a projection 18 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 21 with which a clamp 15 `upon the upper end of the insulating tube is provided, and a cooperating contact inger 19 is similarly mounted upon a pin 20 with which the projection i is provided. A strip or wire 16 of fusible conducting material is connected at one end to the contact clamp 12 by means of an adjustable terminal 22, its opposite extremity beingconnected to the projection 18 by means of a thumb screw 17. The fusible strip extends through the insulating tube 11a and isl of suclrlength that, when it is tightly drawn, the projection 18 is substantiallyparallel to the axis of the tube. The contact finger 19 'is so held in engagement with the contact member 14 by means of a spring 23, interposed between one extremity 'of the finger and the cap 6, as to exert a considerable tension upon the conductor 16. 'A pin 24 projects through the forked projection 13 of the clamp 12 and engages a slot 25 in the projection 9, thereby forming an axis upon which the tube may rotate through a predetermined angle, its movement being limited in one direction by the engagement of a stop 26 with a projection 27 upon the ca a 8.

fllhe operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the circuit interrupter occupies a position as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, if the current flowing through the fusible conductor 16 exceeds a predetermined amount this strip will be ruptured and the arc established will be completely smothered by the tube 11a. Following the rupture of the fusible conductor, Contact member 14 vis released and the action of the spring 23 upon the finger 19 forces the upper end of i the tube outwardly until the limit of the movement in this direction is reached.

The circuit interrupter of my present i11- vention is well adapted for outdoor service by reason of the fact that the insulating tube 11, which may become partially conducting when damp, is not solely relied upon for the interruption of the circuit after the fusible conductor which it contains has been ruptured.

It is conceivable that numerous variations in the size and arrangement of^parts may be effected within the scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention: i

1. In a circuit interruptor, the combination with a base and insulated contact terminals supported thereby, of an insulating tube having contact members attached to its respective ends to engage said contact terminals. a fusible strip or wire extending through the tube and connecting the contact members together, and means cooperating with the upper contact terminal and member to automatically separate said member from said terminal as soon as the fusible Wire or strip is ruptured.

2. In a circuit interrupter, the combination with an insulating plate or slab, a pair of brackets supported by said slab or plate and provided with insulators,` metal caps secui'ed to the insulators, and a latch projecting from one of them, of an insulating tube having terminal members one of which is pivota-lly connected to one of said caps and the other of which is provided with a movable catch to be engaged by said latch, and a fusible conducting strip or wire located in the tube and interposed between the. pivotally .connected terminal member and the movable catch to hold the latter in locking relation with said latch until ruptured.

3. A circuit interriipter comprising stationary contact terminals, and a movable switch arm comprising an insulating tube having end contact members one of which is pivotally attached to one of the contact terminals, a latch connection between the other member and the other terminal, and a strip or wire of fusible conducting material loca-ted in said tube and serving to connect the end contact members together and to release the latch connection, when ruptured.

et. A circuit interrupter comprising stationary contact members, a switch arm pivotally mounted on one of the members and comprising an insulating tube and a fusible conductor contained therein, and means dependent upon the rupture of the fusible conductor for automatically separating one end ofthe tube from its engaging contact member.

5. A circuit interrupter comprising an insulating slab or base, angle brackets attached thereto, insulators mounted oii the brackets, and caps of conducting material secured to the insulators, of a. movable switch arm pivotally connected to one of the caps comprising an insulating tube and a fusible conductor contained therein, a pressure contact finger connecting the other cap with the 'switch arm, and means dependent upon the rupture of the fusible conductor for automatically separating the engaging end of t-lie tube from the contact finger.

(3. In a circuit interriipter, the combina- .tion with an insulating plate or slab, a pair of vertically alined angle brackets supported by said plate or slab, insulators mounted on said brackets, and caps of conducting material secured to the insulators, of an insulating tube having end terminal pieces one of which is det-achably and pivotally coiinected to one of the said caps and the other of which has a latch connection with the other cap, and al fusible conducting strip or wire extending through said tube and interposed between `tlie pivotally connected terminal piece and the latch connection to hold the latter in locking condition until ruptured.

7. A circuit interrupter comprising stationary contact members, a switch ariii. detachably aiid pivotally mounted on one of the members and comprising an insulating tube, and a fusible conductor contained therein, and means dependent upon the rupture of the fusible conductor for automatically separating one end of the tube from the contact member.

S. A circuit iiiterriipter comprising an insulating slab or base, angle brackets attached thereto, insulators mounted on the brackets, and caps of conducting material secured to the insulators, of av movable switch arm detacliably and pivotally connected to one of the caps and comprising an insulating tube and a fusible conductor contained therein, a pressure contact Finger connecting the other cap with the switch arm, and means dependent upon the rupture of the fusible conductor for automatically separating the engaging endof the tube from the contact finger.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of J aimary, 1907.

. RAY P. JACKSON. Witnesses:

R. B. INGRAM, BIRNEY Hin Es. 

